Washington DC, May 2011--Elementary school students "took over the kitchen" of Al Tiramisu during lunchtime Tuesday, May 24.
Not to fear. They cooked alongside marathon-running Chef Luigi Diotaiuti who closed the restaurant for lunch to practice what he preaches: teaching the importance of preparing good food using healthy, fresh ingredients—plus adding movement for health.
Third to fifth grade students of the new Cooking Club in DC's nearby Hyde-Addison Elementary School got a real treat--going behind-the-scenes of a real restaurant kitchen with a real chef.
Chef Luigi treated them as he does adults in his cooking classes-- first hand washing, then donning Al Tiramisu-branded aprons with the infamous jester, reviewing recipes, discussing food/ingredients, and then hands-on cooking experience.
The student 'chefs' and Chef Luigi will make from scratch gnocchi, vegetarian pasta sauce, a 'happy' salad, and lemonade. And students, teachers, and parent chaperones will sit around a big table, enjoy what they prepared, and toast the many 'chefs' with lemonade.
As part of the Cooking Club focus on Italian cooking for the week, Chef Luigi will go to Hyde- Addison Elementary School Thursday and cook on site with Cooking Club participants. Word is there could be enough Italian cookies to feed the whole school.
This is part of Al Tiramisu's year-long celebration of the 150th anniversary of Italy and the 15th anniversary of the most authentic Italian restaurant in the nation's capital.
Al Tiramisu, 2014 P St. NW, Washington, DC 20036. Reservations: 202-467-4466. Valet parking seven nights a week 6-10 PM.